The Poor Rich Boy Trail
Biggles and the Poor Rich Boy is one of those books which have a detailed itinerary full of actual places, hotels and railway stations. It is ideal for people planning to follow in the footsteps of the characters in the books. Also included in this itinerary are nearby places which are mentioned in other stories--these are included for convenience as one might as well cover all these places in one trip. Phase 1: The Tomintoul Loop *Dalcross - today, Inverness Airport. Start point. Biggles lands here on the trail of Cornelli. *Inverness **Station Hotel - Biggles stays there. Today, it's the Royal Highland Hotel. *Aviemore - railway station with (Gaskin says) branch line to Tomintoul. *Spey Bridge at Grantown. This could be the illustration at the top of Chapter IV. But another research has suggested this picture might be the Bridge of Avon at Balindalloch.John Donald, "W. E. Johns, Scotland and the Scots", Biggles Flies Again Vol. 2 No. 12 (2009): 29. *Tomintoul - the Richmond Arms Hotel. *Leaving Tomintoul, probably the B5008 until the junction with B5009. Right fork to Dufftown. Cornelli did not pass that way, so left fork B5008 to Ballindalloch. *Ballindalloch **Pitchroy Lodge in the Ballindalloch Estate. W. E. Johns lived here from 1947-1953 and wrote many of his stories here.Roger Davis, "North to South and Back Again: W. E. Johns in Scotland", ''Biggles Flies Again'' Vol. 2 No. 2 (2004): 28. The Lodge can be rented for fishing/shooting holidays. Pitchroy Cottage on its grounds can also be rented. *Spey Bridge at Grantown. *Back to Inverness. *While doing this loop, one could include places from The Mystery of the Torn Parachute **Forres - Biggles rented a car here. **Knockando Railway station - closed. Later became the Tamdhu Distillery visitors centre but also seems closed. But building still approachable from road. **Look out for a suitable "Grey House", residence of Captain Mackenzie (Spey fishery board official) on "the Grantown Road", so probably on the B9102. *Also, these locations on the way, from other stories: **Culbin Sands - landing site of Hugo Bikstein in The Case of the Ambitious Fishmonger. **Culbin Forest - plausible location of forestry plantation in The Long Chase. **Elgin - where Biggles met Mr Sinclair, in The Case of the Ambitious Fishmonger. **Lossiemouth - R.A.F. airbase. Biggles landed here in The Case of the Ambitious Fishmonger. *And not forgetting: **Kinloss - M.O.D. establishment - former R.A.F. station. Biggles refuelled here in The Case of the Lunatic at Large. *And then if you are fit enough: **The Black Loch OS NJ0639 (appears in Where the Golden Eagle Soars. **Dubh-chtais - or Dubh-chlais OS NJ1341, features as a secret helicopter landing ground in Biggles Buys a Watch. Phase 2: The Loch Ness Loop *Garage owner tells Biggles Cornelli bought a car and is headed for Loch Ness. *A82 to Drumnadrochit. *At Drumnadrochit: **Stops to enquire at various hotels (not named). One is likely to be the Drumnadrochit Hotel (today the Loch Ness Visitor Centre). Another could be the Loch Ness Lodge Hotel. **Hesitates by Lewiston Arms Hotel (probably the Lewiston Arms Pub today). He decides to go on. *Loch Ness - Cornelli and Carlo are fishing in boat. **Garage owner had also recommended to Cornelli the Lovat Arms at Fort Augustus but this did not feature in the story. *A887 turnoff to Invermoriston. *Asks man outside Glenmoriston Arms Hotel. *Cornelli had proceeded west on the A887. *Biggles spots Cornelli on road on opposite side of a glen, probably the A87. *A87 to Invergarry (this is probably what the book calls the Cluanie junction). *Confrontation with the Viper, then through Invergarry and back to Inverness. **Garage owner had recommended The Invergarry to Cornelli, but Biggles didn't stop here. *Biggles later found out Cornelli had been to Fort William and called the garage at Inverness from there. Phase 3: Interlude in London *Cornelli flies back to London *Victoria Station - which suggests he arrived at Gatwick. Gatwick trains end here. *Stays at The Grosvenor Hotel next door. Phase 4: The Speyside Trail *Back to Station Hotel, Inverness. Biggles learns that Carlo is with one Major Grey last seen at Inverness! **Union Street - the Viper abandoned a stolen car here. **Inglis Street - the garage owner has news of Carlo. Biggles and Ross "walked briskly there". Perhaps it's the nearby R. Macrae and Sons on Inglis Street? See this photo. **Fishing tackle shop on Inglis Street - Carlo bought tackle here. *Spey Bay Hotel - phone enquiry looking for Carlo. Hotel has since been demolished. See this photo. *Biggles learns that Cornelli and the Viper are both on the train from Euston to Inverness so Biggles decides to search the stations and hotels up the line. *Aviemore - Biggles mentions that there are two hotels here but doesn't name them. **Cairngorm Hotel - most certainly one of the two. Grade C listed building, built in 19th century, definitely existed in Biggles' time. **Aviemore Station Hotel - most likely the other one. Since replaced by more modern buldings. See photo of both hotels here. *Kincraig railway station *Kingussie **Kingussie railway station - Biggles learns that Viper asked for train to backtrack to Newtonmore. **Duke of Gordon Hotel - Biggles made enquiries here. *Newtonmore **Railway station - Biggles confirms Cornelli was here. **Balavil Arms - Biggles makes enquiries here. Probably the Balavil Hotel on the main street. *Tromie Lodge - rented by Major Grey. The Glentromie Highland Lodge fits the description. *Hospital at Grantown - probably this one. *Biggles and co. stayed at Grantown until Carlo's father joined them and had dinner together. Which hotel? We know Biggles usually chose a good one so perhaps The Grant Arms Hotel. It is a Victorian hotel so certainly existed in Biggles' time. *Also consider a sidetrip to Nethy. Look out for a marsh or some flatland by the river Nethy which a light aircraft can land. Scene from The Case of the Unknown Aircraft. *Somewhere here is Auchrory, the setting for Gimlet Comes Home and Gimlet's Oriental Quest. References Category:Itineraries Category:Research Topics